List of people from Kansas
]] The following are notable people who were either born, raised, or have lived for a significant period of time in the American state of Kansas. Academics and Nobel Prize Laureates is a native Kansan and the 12th President of Emerson College.]] *Milton S. Eisenhower (1899–1985), university president; Abilene *Wendell Johnson (1906–1965), psychologist and speech pathologist, author of The Monster Study; Roxbury *Jack S. Kilby (1923–2005), Nobel Prize winner in Physics; Great Bend *Solon Toothaker Kimball (1909–1982), anthropologist; Manhattan *Stanford Lehmberg (born 1931), historian; McPherson *Norman Malcolm (1911–1990), philosopher; Selden *Deane Waldo Malott (1898–1996), president of Cornell University; Abilene *Abby Lillian Marlatt (1869–1943), home economics; Manhattan *Eric K. Meyer (born 1953), journalism professor and Pulitzer Prize nominee; Marion *M. Lee Pelton (born 1950), president of Willamette University; Wichita *John Brooks Slaughter (born 1934), college president and first African-American director of the National Science Foundation; Topeka *Vernon L. Smith (born 1927), Nobel Memorial Prize winner in Economics; Wichita *Earl Wilbur Sutherland Jr. (1915–1974), 1971 Nobel Prize winner in Physiology and Medicine; Burlingame *Donald Worster (born 1941), historian; Lawrence Arts and literature Artists *Nina E. Allender (1873–1957), artist and women's suffrage cartoonist; Auburn *Grace Bilger (1907–2000), artist; Olathe *Grant Bond (born 1974), artist; Kansas City *Blackbear Bosin (1921–1980), Native American artist; Wichita *Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks (1917–2000), poet; Topeka *Bruce Conner (1933–2008), artist; McPherson *John Steuart Curry (1897–1946), artist; Winchester *Aaron Douglas (1900–1979), artist; Topeka *Randall Duell (1903–1992), architect and art director; Russell County *Edgar Heap of Birds (born 1954), artist; Wichita *Bruce Helander (born 1947), artist; Great Bend *Elizabeth Layton (1909–1993), artist; Wellsville *Evan Lindquist (born 1936), printmaker, Artist Laureate of Arkansas; Salina *Barbara Morgan (1900–1992), photographer; Buffalo, Kansas *Gordon Parks (1912–2006), photographer and film director; Fort Scott *Birger Sandzen (1871–1954), artist, art professor at Bethany College; Lindsborg *Gary Mark Smith (born 1956), photographer, studied at University of Kansas; Wichita *W. Eugene Smith (1918–1978), photographer; Wichita *Mort Walker (1923–2018), cartoonist, creator of Beetle Bailey and Hi and Lois comic strips; El Dorado Authors *Laura Abbot (), author of Harlequin romance novels; Kansas City *Gwendolyn Brooks (1917–2000), author, poet; Topeka *William Burroughs (1914–1997), author; Lawrence *Don Coldsmith (1926–2009), author of Western fiction; Iola *Dorothy Canfield Fisher (1879–1958), author of children's books; Lawrence *Thomas Frank (born 1965), author and editor; Mission Hills *Jane Heap (1883–1964), author and publisher; Topeka *Scott Heim (born 1966), author; Hutchinson *Langston Hughes (1902–1967), author and poet; Lawrence *William Inge (1913–1973), playwright; Independence *Bill James (born 1949), author; Mayetta, Kansas *Bill Martin, Jr. (1916–2004), children's author; Hiawatha *Fred Myton (1885–1955), screenwriter; Garden City *Kathy Patrick (), author, founder of Pulpwood Queens Book Club; Eureka *Scott Phillips (born 1961), author; Wichita *Vance Randolph (1892–1980), folklorist; Pittsburg *Red Reeder (1902–1998), author and United States Army officer; Fort Leavenworth *Richard Rhodes (born 1937), author and historian; Kansas City *Lois Ruby (), author of historic fiction; Lawrence *Damon Runyon (1880–1946), author; Manhattan *Mary Francis Shura (1923–1990), children's, romance and mystery author; Pratt *William Stafford (1914–1993), poet and pacifist; Hutchinson *Max Yoho (born 1934), author; Colony Dancers *Clark Tippet (1954–1992), ballet; Parsons Musicians Athletics Athletes ;A–F *Alvan Adams (born 1954), basketball; Lawrence *John H. Adams (born 1915), jockey; Iola *Neil Allen (born 1958), baseball pitcher, pitching coach; Kansas City *David Arkin (born 1987), pro football player; Wichita *Elden Auker (1910–2006), baseball pitcher; Norcatur *Chase Austin (born 1989), NASCAR driver; Eudora *Ron Baker (born 1993), NBA player (New York Knicks); Utica and Scott City (born in Hays) *Thane Baker (born 1931), gold medalist at 1956 Summer Olympics, decathlon; Elkhart *Tony Barker (born 1968), football player; Wichita *Chris Barnes (born 1970), professional bowler; Topeka *James Bausch (1906–1974), gold medalist 1932 Summer Olympics; Garden Plain *Judy Bell (born 1936), member of World Golf Hall of Fame; Wichita *Matt Besler (born 1987), professional soccer player; Overland Park *B.H. Born (born 1932), basketball player; Medicine Lodge *Clint Bowyer (born 1979), NASCAR driver; Emporia *George Brett (born 1953), baseball Hall of Famer; Mission Hills *Bryce Brown (born 1991), football player; Wichita *Orville Brown (1908–1981), pro wrestler, NWA champion; Sharon *Mildred Bliss Burke (1915–1989), wrestler, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame; Coffeyville *Enos Cabell (born 1949), baseball player; Fort Riley *Veronica Campbell-Brown (born 1982), track and field athlete (Olympic and world champion); Great Bend *Antoine Carr (born 1961),; basketball player *Larry Cheney (1886–1969), baseball pitcher; Belleville *Jack Christiansen (1928–1986), football Hall of Famer; Sublette *Tony Clark (born 1972), baseball player; Newton *Maliek Collins (born 1995), football player; Kansas City *Baron Corbin (born 1984), football player, WWE wrestler; Lenexa *Nolan Cromwell (born 1955), football player; Smith Center *Aaron Crow (born 1986), baseball player; Topeka *Glenn Cunningham (1909–1988), silver medalist, 1936 Olympic Games,1,500m run; Elkhart *Johnny Damon (born 1973), baseball player; Fort Riley *Eldon Danenhauer (born 1935), football player; Clay Center *Darren Daulton (born 1962), baseball player; Arkansas City *Wantha Davis (born 1918), jockey; Liberal *Joey Devine (born 1983), baseball player; Junction City *Lynn Dickey (born 1949), football player; Osawatomie *Andy Dirks (born 1986), baseball player; Burrton *Larry Drew (born 1958), basketball player and coach; Kansas City *Mark Duckens (born 1965), football player; Wichita *Brian Duensing (born 1983), baseball player; Marysville *Brody Eldridge (born 1987), football player; La Cygne *Tim Elliott (born 1986), mixed martial artist; Wichita *Maurice Evans (born 1978), basketball player; Wichita *Kyle Farnsworth (born 1976), baseball player; Wichita *Galen Fiss (1931–2006), football player; Johnson City *Adrianna Franch (born 1990), soccer player (world champion); Salina *Scott Fulhage (born 1961), football player; Beloit ;G–M *Andrew Gachkar (born 1988), football player; Overland Park *Tyson Gay (born 1982), track and field athlete (world champion); Great Bend *Maurice Greene (born 1974), track and field athlete (world and Olympic champion); Kansas City *Adrian Griffin (born 1974), basketball player and coach; Wichita *Geneo Grissom (born 1992), football player; Hutchinson *Andy Gruenebaum (born 1982), soccer player *Don Gutteridge (1912–2008), baseball player and manager; Pittsburg *Joe Hastings (born 1987), football player; Wichita *Tanner Hawkinson (born 1990), football player; McPherson *Mark Haynes (born 1958), football player; Kansas City *Ben Heeney (born 1992), football player; Hutchinson *Bobby Henrich (born 1938), baseball player; Lawrence *Don Hill (1904–1967), football player; Hiawatha *Shaun Hill (born 1980), football player; Parsons *Chief Hogsett (1903–2001), baseball player; Brownell *Lionel Hollins (born 1953), basketball player and coach; Arkansas City *Scott Huffman (born 1964), pole vaulter; Quinter *Damian Johnson (born 1962), football player; Great Bend *Walter Johnson (1887–1946), baseball Hall of Famer; Humboldt *Pete Kilduff (1893–1930), baseball player; Weir *Fred Kipp (born 1931), baseball pitcher; Piqua *Tonya Knight (born 1966), IFBB professional bodybuilder; Overland Park *Laurie Koehn (born 1982), WNBA player; Moundridge *Gene Krug (born 1955), baseball player; Garden City *Adam LaRoche (born 1979), baseball player; Fort Scott *Bobby Lashley (born 1976), professional wrestler for WWE; Junction City *Shalee Lehning (born 1987), WNBA player; Sublette *Martin Lewis (born 1975), NBA basketball player; Liberal *Danny Manning (born 1966), NBA basketball player; Lawrence *Rudy May (born 1944), baseball player; Coffeyville *Jon McGraw (), professional football player; Riley *Archie "Hap" McKain (1911–1985), baseball player; Delphos *Peter Mehringer (1910–1987), Olympic gold medalist wrestler, pro football player; Kinsley *Brian Moorman (born 1976), football player; Sedgwick *Mike Morin (born 1991), baseball player; Leawood ;N–Z *Marcio Navarro (born 1978), professional kickboxer and mixed martial artist; Wichita *Jordy Nelson (born 1985), football player; Leonardville *Terence Newman (born 1978), football player; Salina *Nicole Ohlde (born 1982), WNBA player; Clay Center *Antonio Orozco (born 1987), professional boxer; Garden City *Victor Ortiz (born 1987), professional boxer; Garden City *Bob Orton (1929–2006), professional wrestler; Kansas City *Bob Orton, Jr. (born 1950), professional wrestler, WWE Hall of Fame; Kansas City *John Parrella (born 1969), professional football player; Topeka *Hal Patterson (1932–2011), professional football player; Larned *Jordan Phillips (born 1992), professional football player; Towanda *Joseph Randle (born 1991), professional football player; Wichita *Ronn Reynolds (born 1958), professional baseball player; Wichita *Dustin Richardson (born 1984), MLB pitcher; Newton *John Riggins (born 1949), football player, Pro Football Hall of Famer; Centralia *Brandon Rios (born 1986), professional boxer; Garden City *Lafayette Russell (1905–1978), football player, B-movie actor "Reb" Russell; Osawatomie *Johnny Rutherford (born 1938), race car driver; Coffeyville *Jim Ryun (born 1947), athlete and politician; Wichita *Barry Sanders (born 1968), football player, NFL Hall of Famer; Wichita *Melvin Sanders (born January 3, 1981), pro basketball player; Liberal *Wes Santee (1932–2010), NCAA cross country champion, track and field athlete; Ashland *Gale Sayers (born 1943), NFL Hall of Famer; Wichita *Otto Schnellbacher (1923–2008), pro basketball and football player; Sublette *Ryan Schraeder (born 1988), professional football player; Wichita *Wayne Simien (born 1983), NCAA All-American, NBA basketball player; Leavenworth *Mark Simoneau (born 1977), professional football player; Smith Center *Marilynn Smith (born 1928), professional golfer and LPGA co-founder; Topeka *Lee Stevens (born 1967), professional baseball player; Lawrence *Darren Sproles (born 1983), professional football player; Olathe *Jackie Stiles (born 1978), WNBA basketball player; Claflin *Stewart "Smokey" Stover (born 1938), professional football player; McPherson *Darrell Stuckey (born 1987), professional football player; Kansas City *Tom Sturdivant (1930–2009), professional baseball player; Gordon *Steve Tasker (born 1962), NFL Pro Bowl MVP in 1993; Leoti (born in Smith Center *Luther Haden "Dummy" Taylor (1875–1958), baseball pitcher; Oskaloosa *Doug Terry (born February 10, 1968), pro football player; Liberal *Tommy Thompson (1916–1989), pro football player; Hutchinson *Blake Treinen (born 1988), professional baseball player; Osage City *Jerame Tuman (born March 24, 1976), pro football player; Liberal *Ron Warner (born 1975), professional football player; Independence *Earl Watson (born 1979), NBA basketball player; Kansas City *Tom Watson (born 1949), golfer, member of World Golf Hall of Fame; Stilwell *Mitch Webster (born 1959), MLB player; Larned *Kendra Wecker (born 1982), WNBA player; Marysville *Michael Wilhoite (born 1986), pro football player; Manhattan *Jess Willard (1881–1968), world heavyweight boxing champion, St. Clere; Pottawatomie County *Kamerion Wimbley (born 1983), professional football player; Wichita *Lynette Woodard (born 1959), basketball Hall of Famer; Wichita *Brad Ziegler (born 1979), baseball player; Pratt *John Zook (born 1947), professional football player; Garden City Coaches Aviators and astronauts *Walter Herschel Beech (1891–1950), aviator and aircraft designer; Wichita *Clyde Vernon Cessna (1879–1954), aviator and aircraft designer; Rago *Amelia Earhart (1897–1937), aviator; Atchison *Joe Engle (born 1932), astronaut; Chapman *Ronald Evans (1933–1990), astronaut; St. Francis *Daniel Forbes (1920–1948), United States Army Air Corps pilot; Carbondale *Steve Hawley (born 1951), astronaut; Salina *Donald Hudson (1895–1967), World War I flying ace; Topeka *Glenn L. Martin (1886–1955), aviation pioneer; Salina *Lloyd Carlton Stearman (1898–1975), aviator and aircraft designer; Wellsville Businesspeople and inventors *Philip Anschutz (born 1939), billionaire investor; Russell *Bion Barnett (1857–1958), co-founder of Barnett Bank; Hiawatha *Olive Ann Beech, Chairwoman of Beech Aircraft Company; Wichita (born in Waverly) *Dan and Frank Carney (Dan born 1931, Frank born 1938), founders of Pizza Hut; Wichita *Walter Chrysler (1875–1940), founder of Chrysler Corporation; Wamego *William Coffin Coleman (1870–1957), founder of the Coleman Company; Wichita *David Dillon (born 1951), former CEO of Kroger; Hutchinson *Vic Edelbrock (1913–1962), automotive engineer; Eudora *James Harbord (1866–1947), President and Chairman of the Board of RCA; Manhattan *William Wadsworth Hodkinson (1881–1971), pioneer film marketer and distributor; Independence *Omar Knedlik (1915–1989), inventor of the ICEE frozen drink; Barnes *Charles G. Koch (born 1935), CEO of Koch Industries; Wichita *David H. Koch (1940-2019), executive and politician; Wichita *Alan Mulally (born 1945), engineer, former President and CEO of the Ford Motor Company; Lawrence *Matthew K. Rose (born 1959), Chairman and CEO of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp.; Salina *Harry F. Sinclair (1876–1956), founder of Sinclair Oil company; Independence *Russell Stover (1888–1954), founder of Russell Stover Candies; Alton Film, stage and television Actors and performers *Bill Farmer (born 1952), voice actor; Pratt *Tamara Feldman (born 1980), actress; Wichita *Scott Foley (born 1972), actor; Kansas City *Dwight Frye (1899–1943), actor; Salina *Alan Fudge (1944–2011), actor; Wichita *Laurel Goodwin (born 1942), actress; Wichita *Cary Guffey (born 1972), actor; Topeka *Dennis Hayden (born 1952), actor; Girard *Colton Haynes (born 1988), actor; Wichita *Thelma Hill (1906–1938), actress; Emporia *Dennis Hopper (1936–2010), actor; Dodge City *Jayne Houdyshell (born 1953), actress; Topeka *Mary Howard (1913–2009), actress; Independence *Don Johnson (born 1959), actor; Wichita *Neal Jones (born 1960), actor; Wichita *Gordon Jump (1932–2003), actor; Manhattan *Tom Kane (born 1962), voice actor; Overland Park *Buster Keaton (1895–1966), actor and director; Piqua *Emmett Kelly (1898–1979), circus clown; Sedan *Laura Kirk (born 1966), actress; Lecompton *Shirley Knight (born 1936), actress; Goessel *Sarah Lancaster (born 1980), actress; Overland Park *Lila Leeds (1928–1999), actress; Dodge City *Hattie McDaniel (1895–1952), actress; Wichita *Everett McGill (born 1945), actor; Kansas City *Michael McMillian (born 1978), actor; Olathe *George Murdock (born 1930), actor; Salina *Cassandra Peterson (born 1949), actress, aka Elvira, Mistress of the Dark; Manhattan *ZaSu Pitts (1894–1963), actress; Parsons *Chris Porter (born 1979), comedian; Olathe *John Quade (1938–2009), actor; Kansas City *James Reynolds (), actor; Oskaloosa *Rob Riggle (born 1970), actor and comedian; Overland Park *Charles "Buddy" Rogers (1904–1991), actor and jazz musician; Olathe *Paul Rudd (born 1969), actor; Overland Park *Sheila Ryan (1921–1975), actress; Topeka *Kendall Schmidt (born 1990), singer, actor, and dancer; Wichita *Kevin Schmidt (born 1988), actor; Andover *Travis Schuldt (born 1974), actor; Topeka *Angus Scrimm (born 1926), actor; Kansas City *Max Showalter (1917–2000), actor; Caldwell *Cynthia Sikes (born 1954), actress; Coffeyville *Lois Smith (born 1930), actress; Topeka *David Rees Snell (born 1966), actor; Wichita *Sara Sothern (1895–1994), stage actress; Arkansas City *Taryn Southern (born 1986), actress, YouTube personality; Wichita *Rebecca Staab (born 1961), actress; Hays *Milburn Stone (1904–1980), actor (Gunsmoke); Burrton *Eric Stonestreet (born 1971), actor; Kansas City *Jason Sudeikis (born 1975), actor; Overland Park *Norma Terris (1904–1989), actress; Columbus *Fay Tincher (1884–1983), actress; Topeka *Vivian Vance (1909–1979), actress (I Love Lucy); Cherryvale *Matt Vogel (born 1970), puppeteer; Kansas City *Lyle Waggoner (born 1935), sculptor, actor (Wonder Woman); Kansas City *Kari Wahlgren (born 1977), actress; Hoisington *Dee Wallace (born 1948), actress; Kansas City *Jason Wiles (born 1970), actor; Lenexa *Claire Windsor (1897–1972), actress; Cawker City *Patrice Wymore (1926-2014), actress; Miltonvale *Jeff Yagher (born 1961), actor; Lawrence }} Directors *Michael Almereyda (born 1960), film director; Overland Park *Steve Balderson (born 1975), film director; Wamego *Darren Lynn Bousman (born 1979), film director; Overland Park *Chris Buck (born 1960), film director, animator; Wichita *Eric Darnell (born 1960), director, writer, songwriter, animator; Prairie Village *Randall Duell (1903–1992), art director; Russell County *Alex Graves (born 1968), television director; El Dorado *Sherman Halsey, music video and television director; Independence *Martin and Osa Johnson (1884–1937 and 1894–1953), film pioneer, explorer; Chanute *Oscar Micheaux (1893–1951), film director; Great Bend *Gordon Parks (1912–2006), film director; Fort Scott *Richard Thorpe (1896–1991), film director; Hutchinson Public figures Journalists *Frank Marshall Davis (1905–1987), journalist, poet, political and labor movement activist; Arkansas City *Steve Doocy (born 1956), co-host of Fox News's Fox & Friends; Abilene *Elizabeth Farnsworth (born 1943), television journalist; Topeka *William M. Gallagher (1923–1975), Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist; Hiawatha *Jane Grant (1892–1972), journalist who co-founded The New Yorker; Girard, Kansas *E. W. Howe (1853–1937), author and newspaper editor; Atchison *Bill Kurtis (born 1940), television journalist; Independence *Jim Lehrer (born 1934), television journalist; Wichita *Melissa McDermott (born 1960s), television news anchor for CBS's Up to the Minute; Wichita *Clementine Paddleford (1898–1967), journalist and food critic; Riley County *Eugene C. Pulliam (1889–1975), founder Central Newspapers, Inc.; Ulysses *Roy A. Roberts (1887–1967), newspaper editor; Muscotah *W. Eugene Smith (1918–1978), photojournalist; Wichita *John Cameron Swayze (1906–1995), television journalist; Wichita *Julius Wayland (1854–1912), newspaper editor, Appeal to Reason; Girard *William Allen White (1868–1944), author and newspaper editor; Emporia *Gene Wojciechowski, author, sportswriter and ESPN commentator; Salina Politics and law *Ron Wyden (born 1949), Oregon Senator; Wichita }} Military and national security Religious *William Bickerton (1815–1905), founder of The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite) and the Zion Valley, Kansas, colony; St. John *Charles J. Chaput (born 1944), Archbishop, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Denver; Concordia *Sheri L. Dew (born 1953), influential Latter-day Saint spokeswoman; Ulysses *Bart D. Ehrman (born 1955), New Testament scholar; Lawrence *Jerry Johnston (born 1959), Southern Baptist Convention evangelist and pastor; Overland Park *Emil Kapaun (1916–1951), Army chaplain Korean War, posthumous Medal of Honor recipient, Catholic martyr and sainthood candidate; Pilsen *Ron Kenoly (born 1944), musical worship leader; Coffeyville *Fred Phelps (1929–2014), leader of Westboro Baptist Church; Topeka *James Reeb (1927–1965), Unitarian minister beaten to death by segregationists in Selma, Alabama, during the Civil Rights Movement; Wichita *David Laurin Ricken (born 1954), bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne; Dodge City *Michael Jarboe Sheehan (born 1939), Archbishop of Santa Fe; Wichita *M. Madeline Southard (1877–1967), Methodist minister and writer *John Joseph Sullivan (1920–2001), Bishop of Grand Island, Nebraska, and Kansas City-St. Joseph; Horton *Gerald B. Winrod (1900–1957), evangelical Christian and Nazi sympathizer; Wichita *Gordon Winrod (born 1926), Christian Identity minister; Hesston Scientists and programmers Others Notable individuals Notable historical figures not from Kansas but who participated in a significant event in Kansas *John Brown (1800–1859), abolitionist; Osawatomie *Buffalo Bill Cody (1846–1917), buffalo hunter and showman; Leavenworth *Wyatt Earp (1848–1929), lawman; Wichita and Dodge City *Dora Hand (1844–1878), dance hall singer, Dodge City, Kansas *Wild Bill Hickok (1837–1876), lawman; Hays and Abilene *James H. Lane (1814-1866), abolitionist, senator and union general; Lawrence *Bat Masterson (1853–1921), lawman; Dodge City *Carrie Nation (1846–1911), temperance activist; Medicine Lodge *John James Ingalls (1833–1900), politician *Kris Kobach (1966), Candidate for Governor in 2018, Kansas Secretary of State. Infamous persons Fictional persons *Matt Dillon (1949), marshal, Dodge City, Kansas *Dorothy Gale (1900), farm girl who lived with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry; transported to the Land of Oz by a tornado, with her dog Toto *Elmer Gantry (1927), evangelist and title character in the Sinclair Lewis novel of the same name; attended college in Kansas *Gil Hamilton (c. 2083), futuristic detective, Topeka *Will Kane (1952), sheriff in the 1952 classic Western High Noon, from Hadleyville, Kansas *Johnny Kaw (1955), mythical Kansas settler, Manhattan *Clark Joseph Kent (1938), adopted child of Jonathan and Martha Kent of Smallville, known as the alter ego Superman, born on Krypton as Kal-El *Lana Lang (1950), Superboy's teenage love interest, Smallville, Kansas *Major Astro (1960), astronaut portrayed by local character actor Tom Leahy; host of a children's television program, Wichita *Colleen McMurphy, lead character from China Beach, from a "small town" in Kansas *Cameron Mitchell, Lieutenant Colonel of Stargate SG-1 television series, from Auburn *Jack B. Quick (1999), boy genius, Queerwater Creek, Kansas *Amanda Rogers (born 2351), character on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Topeka *Pete Ross (1961), Superboy's bestfriend, Smallville, Kansas *Mary Ann Summers, traveler on a "three-hour tour" that was lost at sea on Gilligan's Island, Winfield, Kansas *Annie Wilson (1993), aspiring actress, Wichita *Dean Winchester (1979), demon hunter, Lawrence *Sam Winchester (1983), demon hunter, Lawrence *Wizard of Oz (1900), balloonist, magician, ruler of the Land of Oz (1939 movie version only) }} See also * Lists of people from Kansas References Category:Lists *